India, Portugal hold 5th round of Foreign Office consultations in Lisbon

New Delhi, Nov 5: The 5th India-Portugal Foreign Office Consultations were held in Lisbon on November 3, co-chaired by Shri Sibi George, Secretary (West), Ministry of External Affairs, and Helena Malcata, Director General for Foreign Policy, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Portugal.

Both sides reviewed the full range of bilateral ties, including political relations, trade and economic cooperation, defence and security, renewable energy, science and technology, agriculture, tourism, education, and cultural exchanges.

They also discussed progress on bilateral agreements under negotiation and agreed to expedite their finalisation. India and Portugal exchanged views on India-EU relations, as well as regional and global issues of mutual interest, reaffirming their commitment to continue close cooperation in multilateral fora, including the United Nations.

During the visit, Secretary (West) also called on Ana Isabel Xavier, Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs and Cooperation. Marking 50 years since the re-establishment of diplomatic relations, both sides expressed satisfaction with the year’s commemorative activities, which have included high-level visits by the President of India, the Speaker of the Lok Sabha, and the Finance Minister to Portugal. It was agreed that the next round of Foreign Office Consultations will be held in New Delhi at mutually convenient dates.